Moonlight Sonata
by Dosko
Summary: When Zuko and Mai decide to break up and call their marriage off, where and who will Zuko turn to for comfort? A Toko FanFic.
1. Chapter 1

Sunlight bathed the prestigious Fire Kingdom Palace in the early morning. Many a man, woman, and child of the Fire Nation awoke the same that day as any other day, despite the festivities of the night before. For certain leaders, it was quite a different awakening. Firelord Zuko stirred groggily in his bedchambers, tired from last night's celebration. There was a festival last night celebrating the third year of peace since the end of the Hundred Year war between the nations, and he had spent the whole night drinking rice wine by the bottle. He had spent the evening cutting loose and chatting away with old Fire Nation friends and relatives about everything but bureaucracy.

A knock sounded on Zuko's bedroom door. Each knock resounded a loud ringing in Zuko's head, emanating from his hangover. "Come in." he said sternly, a hand grabbing his throbbing head. An old, robust servant entered, carrying with him a tied up scroll.

"Firelord Zuko, I have a message for you. Would you like me to read it for you?" the servant asked.

"Go ahead, I guess." Zuko said dryly. The servant nodded, and untied the string binding the scroll together. He cleared his throat, and began to read:

_ Sifu Hotman,_

_ How are you buddy? Long time no see! A whole year actually. It's kind of hard to believe you're so old now, hitting nineteen and all. Anyways, all of us are going to be having our usual party in Ba Sing Se in a week from now. Hope to see you there; just don't do anything crazy like you did last year. Mai's welcome to come as well, the more the merrier!_

_ your friend,_

_ Aang_

Zuko groaned at that last bit of news in the letter, letting his head drop down. "Something troubling you, sir?" the servant implored, curiosity abound on his face.

"You know how it's been. Mai and I haven't exactly been…lovey-dovey lately." he replied.

"Sir, as a family servant who has watched you grow up, might I voice an observation?" The servant asked. Zuko brought his head up in surprise and inspected his servant's face.

"I suppose so." Zuko replied neutrally.

"Well, when you finally came back from your quest to capture Avatar Aang , you used to be so angry and violent. But once you left again to join his in his quest, denying your title and your father, you became more caring and sympathetic, as a person, and as a ruler."

"No offense, but what does that have to do with anything?" Zuko spat at the servant.

"When you loved Mai, you displayed your emotions of hate and frustration all the time. You and Mai felt the same back then. But now that you have changed, the values you seek in yourself and others have changed as well." Zuko's look of confusion left his face, and was now occupied by a face of realization. He gave a faint smile.

"Thank you for making things a little clearer for me…you're a lot like my uncle you know."

"Thank you, Firelord Zuko. I relish the compliment" The servant finished with a smile "Breakfast will be served in the dining hall in ten minutes. I suppose you'll want your things to be ready and packed by tonight for your annual journey?"

"That would be great." Zuko said happily, standing up. The servant gave one last smile, and bowed as he left Zuko's chambers. Zuko grabbed a towel from his closet, and stepped into his bathroom to take a hot bath before he ate. The water was comfortable physically for him as well as mentally, and helped to clear his thoughts.


	2. Chapter 2

Zuko descended the stairs from his bedroom into the dining hall below to greet his advisors, who were already seated and eating breakfast. He paced to the head of the table, and pulled out the chair to sit down. "Hey." A familiar, monotonous voice said to his right. Mai looked at him, and gave a faint smile.

"Good morning." He replied in the same faint, forced smile.

"So, I heard you're leaving again tomorrow." she said, as she continued eating her meal.

"Yes, to Ba Sing Se" he replied quickly.

"Hope you have fun with all your friends there." she said, almost sadly.

"What do you mean?" Zuko implored. "You know you're invited to come along too, it's just the same little get-together that we have every year."

Zuko tried his hardest to inspect Mai's face for emotion, but she didn't return his gaze. She finished her breakfast curtly, and left the table, and walked out to the gardens without another word or hesitation. Zuko finished his breakfast hastily, and quickly walked towards the gardens as well.

"Something wrong, Zuko?" a cheerful voice asked Zuko. He looked behind him to see Ty Lee smiling her usual giddy smile. She must have come back from the Kyoshi island with the other Kyoshi warriors to vacation on Ember Island. Ty Lee didn't have much of an interest in leaving the Fire Nation, even for a vacation, and she likely already declined her invitation to the get-together to spend time with her fellow warriors instead.

"It's Mai. She doesn't seem to be her usual self today." He said.

"Oh…about that…"she began, her smile fading. She was twiddling her fingers nervously.

"What is it?" Zuko asked. His sister Azula may have been a first-class liar, but Ty Lee was always terrible at keeping secrets.

"Oh, never mind. Just go talk to her, you'll see." She said smiling again. Zuko turned his head back, and walked out to the gardens. Mai was sitting on the bench next to the pond, feeding the ducks small pieces of bread. The way she cared for the animals in the garden reminded Zuko of how his mother used to care for the animals with him as a child. Zuko sat down next to her on the familiar bench, hunching his back a little.

"Do you remember when we were little, and Azula tried to make you firebend that apple off of my head, and we ended up on top of each other in the pond?" Mai asked.

"Yeah…those were the days." he said, staring into the pond.

"But not any more, huh?" Mai asked. Zuko turned his head to look at Mai.

"Mai…do you get the feeling…maybe we're not meant for each other any more?" Zuko said, sulking even more.

"Well…I wonder sometimes where it all went, but it's pretty obvious what happened." Mai commented emotionlessly. Zuko got up from the bench, and gesticulated a little.

"Mai, if it's something I did, just tell me, I can change, just," but he was interrupted by Mai pressing a finger to his mouth. She laughed a little as she did it; a rare thing to see from her.

"Look, I get it. There's nothing wrong, things have just changed, and that's all. You're not attracted to me, and I'm not attracted to you. That's life. We're both still young, even though we're both of marrying age. We have plenty of time to find the right person." So much wisdom came from what appeared to be such a small statement. Mai's face was as sincere as ever.

"But…how did this happen?" He asked sadly. "Why did this happen?"

"Isn't it obvious, Zuko?" she asked, standing up as well. "You've changed. You used to be a lost, confused, and emotional teenager. After you and the Avatar defeated your father, you changed. You became responsible, sympathetic, and most importantly, kind."

"But, isn't that a good thing then?" Zuko asked, even more confused.

"Yeah, but it's not the reason I fell in love with you, you know?" She inched over to the pond, and glazed her pan over the surface of the water. "I guess I liked the fact that you were headstrong, and emotional. I even liked that you were so unsure about yourself. It made me feel…like I could help you," She turned around to look Zuko in the eye. "but you don't need my help anymore." She finished, smiling again.

"Mai…" Zuko said, almost whispering, as he looked into her eyes.

"It's not like we can't still love each other, just you know…as friends." She said, now looking down at the ground.

"Yeah, and…you can still live here at the palace, and always be one of my advisors." He said, finally smiling as well. Mai looked back up at him, and stood there, waiting for Zuko's final reaction. Zuko stood up, and inched up close to Mai, taking her in once more. Mai moved in, and gave him one last kiss. It was long, but it wasn't as kiss that said 'I love you'. It was a kiss that said 'I'll always care about you.' She broke away from him slowly.

"I wouldn't want it any other way." She said finally. Zuko looked around nervously. The robust servant from before was watching them from the dining hall doorway, smiling knowingly.

"Well, I'd better get going. I'm going to have to do some last minute things before I leave tomorrow." Mai nodded, and slowly walked back to the dining hall.

"Have fun." She called back at him. Zuko nodded back at her. "And please meet somebody so you can stop thinking about me." She called back again. Zuko chuckled, and walked back to the dining hall as well.


	3. Chapter 3

The wind blew through Zuko's hair, as his boat neared the harbor just a mile away from Ba Sing Se. It had taken a whole week, but Zuko's ship had finally made its way to the Earth Kingdom capital. It was high noon, and today was the day everybody would be coming for the Gaang's annual week long get-together. The weather around him was far more scenic than the usual orange haze shadowing the Fire Lord's Palace; the sky was a clear, glassy blue, and the hills surrounding Ba Sing Se were a light, pleasing green. Zuko's boat pulled into the harbor, and some sailors got out and tied his boat to the docks, and paid the dock master rent for the next week. Once Zuko's ship had docked, he spotted his friend waiting at the top of the docks for him. Aang was lying on his back on top of Appa, with Momo curled up on top of his chest. He was asleep, probably tired from waiting all morning for somebody to show up. Aang was notoriously punctual to these kinds of things.

Zuko paced up to Appa, and petted the large furry bison. He climbed up on top of his saddle, and looked down at Aang. Even after only a year, he had grown at least a few more inches since he had last seen him; he even had facial hair growing in. Zuko prodded the young air bender's head with the tip of his shoe. "Hey, wake up. I'm here to capture you again" Zuko said with a smile on his face. Aang stirred from his slumber, and looked up at the scarred face of his friend.

"Zuko, how are you buddy!" Aang exclaimed as he quickly stood up and Zuko a big hug.

"Great, I just got here. Where are the others?" Zuko implored

"Sokka and Suki are coming in on another boat from the South Pole with Katara. They should be here any minute now. Normally I would have just come with Katara, but I wanted to visit Bumi along the way in Omashu, and Katara wanted to see the Kyoshi warriors before they left for Ember Island. Toph and your uncle are already in the city, but you already knew that." Aang finished.

"Right…I hope they don't take too long." Zuko was impatient from the length of his own journey.

"Say, didn't Mai want to come?" Aang asked. "Or was she still in shock from last year, when you did that…well…you know what I mean."

Zuko stood up, and hopped off of Appa. He walked to the edge of the docks, with Aang following him slowly. He looked out at the expanse of the ocean, seeking consolation. "Mai and I…called the marriage off…well…we called everything off." Zuko said, surprisingly peacefully.

"What went wrong?" Aang asked

"I guess in the long run, she and I just weren't right for each other. She said I was too…good. That I didn't need her like I used to."

"Well, you have changed you know. You remember what you used to be like." Zuko clenched his fist in frustration, and bitter memory. He remembered all the days of his past, chasing the Avatar, under the impression that his honor has been stripped from him for speaking out against an evil plan. He remembered all the pain and suffering he endured traveling on the path of evil, for three long years. But now he had made his own destiny. Now he had his honor, and his happiness back.

"I know. I just assumed that Mai had too…in the same way I had. But she only switched sides for me, not for herself. Deep down, she'll always be good, but she's still stuck in some of the old ways of the Fire Nation." Zuko finished.

Aang looked at the face of his distraught friend. "Well, for better or worse, you're here now. Who knows, maybe you'll meet a nice girl in the Earth Kingdom." He said optimistically.

Almost on cue, after Aang finished talking, a boat rose over the horizon. It was small at first, but it came into view surprisingly quickly. Zuko and Aang could tell even from a distance that the boat was being sped up by a waterbender. After a few minutes, it closed in on the dock, and three familiar faces came into view. Sokka, Katara, and Suki poked their heads from the sides of their small boat, and waved hello to the two on the dock. As soon as they reached the dock, Katara leapt out and gave a big hug to Aang.

"Aang! I'm so glad to see you again. That was the longest three weeks without you." Katara said as she looked Aang in the face. He was finally as tall as her, instead of the usual three inches or so shorter than her.

"It's good to see you too Katara. How are you, Sokka and Suki?" Aang exclaimed.

Sokka was grinning from ear to ear, with his arms spread open "Great, me and Suki are," but Suki shut a hand over his mouth before he could finish speaking.

"Are really glad to see you! You too Zuko." she smiled at both of them. She whispered something in Sokka's ear that sounded like 'not yet you idiot'.

"Well, I guess we're all overdue at the Jasmine Dragon, wouldn't you guys say so?" Aang announced. He hopped on top of Appa's furry head and grabbed his reigns, and everybody else climbed into Appa's saddle, as Appa flew upward towards Ba Sing Se.


	4. Chapter 4

"Another cup of Jasmine tea, Iroh

(Wow, this is my longest chapter yet, by a whole 500 words. I'm on a roll. I don't own A:TLA, and I'm done writing for the day...let's get some review action going...starting to feel a little lonely here.)

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Chapter 4:

"Another cup of Jasmine tea, Iroh." Toph requested.

"Coming right up." Iroh said with a smile on his face, as he got out more ingredients to make his tea. He took a few different kinds of leaves, ground them up, and put them into a hot cup of water, and let it sit for a few seconds. He stirred it, and handed it to Toph, who in turn handed it to the customer in from of the counter.

"Here you are sir." She said, handing it to the man.

"Thank you very much miss." He said happily, as he paid for the tea, and took it to sit down and enjoy.

"Well, we should be ready to close the shop now; it's almost six o'clock you know." Iroh told Toph.

"I know, I just want to wait a little longer until the others show up." She asked.

"You know, I'll bet he'll say something this year." He winked at her. "You certainly do look lovely in that dress." He commented.

"Thanks, Iroh." She replied, blushing a little at the compliment.

He nodded, as he stretched and yawned tiredly.

"Well, you'll have to excuse me Toph. An old man needs his rest." He handed her the keys to the shop, and walked to the exit. "Give Zuko and the others my regards." He waved to Toph as he walked out.

"I will." She called back, and sat down in the chair behind the counter of the shop. Toph had been working in the 'Jasmine Dragon for three years now, ever since the war ended. Zuko was too busy taking care of Fire Nation matters to spend time in the Earth Kingdom with his uncle Iroh, and since Toph had nowhere else to go but home with her parents, she preferred to live in Ba Sing Se on her own, working in the shop with Iroh. She quietly waited over twenty minutes as the last few customers left, and the shop was empty.

"Five of the lotus specials, please." A voice called as it was entering the shop.

"Sorry, we're closed for the," Toph started, as she picked her head up from the counter, and felt a set of familiar foot steps.

"Well if it isn't twinkle toes and the rest of the gang." She said with a smile on her face. She got up and gave Aang a hug. "How are all of you guys?" she asked.

"Great, we got here just a few minutes ago. Sorry we're a little late" Katara apologized.

"That's ok, just give me a second." Toph went in the back where Iroh made the tea, and make the tea they always toasted their reunions with. The other five sat down at a table, resting from their long journey here. A minute later, Toph came from behind the counter with a tray with six cups on it. She put it on the table, and sat down herself. They all took a cup, and drank the tea.

"So, what's the plan for tomorrow?" Toph asked them all.

"Well, we all thought it'd be a great idea to go see a play tomorrow." Katara pointed out.

"Who's we? I didn't agree to some mushy play." Sokka proclaimed.

"Aww, come on. It'll be fun." Suki assured him. Sokka agreed, grumbling a little to himself.

"Say, Zuko, how's live been treating you as Fire Lord?" Aang asked.

"It's a rough job, that's for sure. Papers here, laws to be passed there; not a lot of room for free time if you know what I mean."

"What about you and Mai?" Sokka said slyly, elbowing Zuko in a suggestive manner. Zuko smile left his face, and he sulked a little in his seat as Sokka said it.

"Uh, Sokka." Aang whispered to Sokka, from Zuko's right. He made a motion emulating that he should avoid the subject.

"Ooh...sorry." he said regrettably.

"It's ok. Me and Mai just weren't meant to be, that's all." He said quietly to everybody." There was a pause after he said it, somewhat uncomfortable as it was.

"On the brighter side of things, the South Pole is holding up pretty well. Things are finally starting to return to the way they used to be." Katara said. They continued to talk about what happened in the absence of each other, until it began to grow dark. Suki noticed it first; she looked at a clock in the shop, and noticed it was already past eight.

"Looks like we'll have to keep talking in the morning, it's getting pretty late." She said, and the others agreed. Aang, Sokka, Suki, and Katara left together, and headed to a hotel nearby. Toph and Zuko were the last ones to leave, as they cleaned up the shop, and locked the door.

"Well, I guess I'll see you in the morning." Zuko told Toph.

"Yeah, it was great to see you again." Toph returned the goodbye. "Oh and Zuko?" Toph began. He turned his head to her. "Cheer up about Mai, I'm sure you'll meet somebody else." she told him optimistically. He smiled at the support.

"Thanks Toph. See you tomorrow." He waved goodbye. He walked down the street, away from the shop, to his uncle's house in the upper part of the city. When he walked up to the house, he reached at the top of the doorway, and pulled out the key his uncle always left for him, if he ever decided to drop by. He quietly opened the door, and locked it again. Already asleep in the front room, was a very tired Uncle Iroh. If he was expecting Zuko, he was a little late to be greeting him. Zuko walked over to his uncle, and pulled his sheets closer over him.

"Sweet dreams, uncle." He whispered, and walked upstairs to the guest room in the house. Zuko opened the door, and looked at the moonlight room before him. There was a bed, a small wardrobe, and a table, all made of polished wood. Zuko relieved his fatigue, and lay in the bed. Without pulling a blanket over himself, he quickly fell asleep.

Toph walked to her house, on the far eastern side of Ba Sing Se. When she finally got there, she opened the door, and walked to her bedroom. While changing into her nightgown, she remebered the painting on her wall. She could remember the day the ganng sat for the painting, but she couldn't see a painting hanging. She could feel brushstrokes, but not know the difference between colors.

During last year's reunion, the gaang got a group portrait together, and spent a whole hour posing for it. While they were getting it done, Suki kept trying to be romantic towards Sokka, Sokka kept elbowing Aang by accident because of the awkward position he had to be in, Katara kept breaking from her pose to calm Aang down, and Zuko eventually fell asleep by accident. The only sane one in the picture was Toph, resting her head on her hands, with a bored expression on her face. Even though they all broke their poses for a few moments at a time, the painter captured them all while they were doing it somehow. It was a funny picture, that was for sure. And the duplicates the others had didn't even do it justice. Of course since Toph couldn't see the painting itself, for everybody else's sake, they all told her it was a nice group picture, and left it at that.

She remembered the one person in the painting she really cared about: Sokka. She smiled as she though about him, hoping that this year would be the year for her. Even though he was already with Suki, she felt like there was still a chance that the two could be together in happiness, and that was enough for her. She whispered his name as she fell asleep in her bed, and began to dream.


	5. Chapter 5

(Impatience

(Impatience...I wanted to wait until I got at least 10 reviews to submit the next chapter, seeing as the criticism from the last one's helped a lot, but I just have so many ideas! Speaking of reviews, a special thanks for Goldylokz's review...shame on me for Toph's blindness slipping my mind! But I have repented, I think...I made a 2,000 word chapter, my longest one yet. Sorry for the lack of group activity, but the story has yet to develop. So, read, review, and enjoy.

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Chapter 5:

Toph walked around in the surreal world her mind was set in. She was on top of a grassy knoll, going somewhere she couldn't quite describe. Although she knew she was supposed to be somewhere, she couldn't quite put her finger on where or why. As if by another force, she walked down to a river, and there was a man sitting next to it.

"I knew you'd be here." She said, sitting down next to him.

"I'm glad you wanted to come. I was afraid I wouldn't see you again you know." The man replied in a rough, yet young voice.

"You know, you don't have to stay there…somebody else can take over for you, can't they? Then you could stay here with your uncle and me. We wouldn't have to worry about the rest of the world, just the two of us."

The man smiled, and despite Toph's inability to see it, she knew he was smiling anyways. "I'd like that, but it's not so simple…I have some things I have to realize first."

"Like what?" she replied innocently.

"Well, I have to fall in love first." He said, reaching over to embrace Toph. She couldn't say exactly who it was that she was talking to, but deep down she knew it was somebody familiar, and close to her.

Zuko woke up, with a smile on his face, hugging one of the pillows in his bed. He quickly remembered what he had just imagined in his sleep, and rose out of bed. He didn't know what it meant, or why he had the dream, and most of all, why Toph was in it. He certainly didn't love Toph or anything. She was just a friend, and he really couldn't imagine it any other way. Iroh knocked on the door, and came into the room.

"Good morning Zuko, I didn't hear you come in last night." He said looking at his nephew. Zuko got up out of his bed, and hugged Iroh.

"Sorry I didn't tell you I came in. It's great to see you again uncle."

"I already made you breakfast, with a nice cup of tea. I hope you won't be late for anything today?" Iroh asked.

"No, I have a few hours before anybody is expecting me anywhere." Zuko replied.

"Good, then you can help me run the shop this morning." Iroh gave a big smile to Zuko, who in turn, chuckled, and agreed by giving a nod. He went downstairs and ate the meal his uncle had prepared for him, took a shower, and changed his clothes. He and his uncle left the house together, and headed down to the shop.

By the time they got there, Toph was already waiting outside the shop, twiddling with her hair, leaning on the wall.

"Good morning Toph, you're up early today." Iroh said as he unlocked the shop door.

"I know. I slept well enough for once so I could actually wake up." She said. Iroh opened the door, and the three walked inside to set up for the day. Zuko looked around and saw the many changes that happened since he worked in the shop years ago. It was definitely bigger, and the tables and chairs were much nicer than the ones that there used to be.

"Zuko, since it is your fist day back, you will be the one to work behind the counter. Toph, you get to make the tea with me today." Iroh announced.

"Oh yeah, no more boring counter!" Toph said, enjoying the good news.

"Is it that boring?" Zuko inquired to Toph.

"See for yourself." She replied with a grin on her face, a she and Iroh walked into the back room and got out the ingredients. Almost moments after they opened the shop, a man and a woman walked in together, about Zuko's age. Zuko thought it was weird to be on a date this early in the morning, but he had been on so few, and even fewer he wanted to be on, that he didn't question the antics of their relationship.

"Hey, I remember you. You used to work here a long time ago…Li was it?" the woman asked.

"Actually, I'm Zuko." He answered. "But I was called Li back then, because…um…well, it's a long story." He finished, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

"Wait, Zuko? What's the King of the Fire Nation doing here in Ba Sing Se, don't you have more important matters do attend to?" the man asked.

"I'm here on…vacation." Zuko said, even more nervous. The couple laughed, and accepted his answer nonetheless.

"Okay then Zuko, can we get two cups of Peach Blossom Tea?" the woman asked.

"Coming right up." He told them, and turned to the back to request the order. He overheard Iroh and Toph talking to each other, but he didn't trouble himself with it. Iroh nodded, and he and Toph made the order. Zuko handed the couple their tea, and they paid and left the shop to continue their morning stroll. It kept going on like that for a while, orders coming, and Zuko sitting at the counter waiting for them. He could see why Toph thought it was a boring job.

Another hour passed by, and Zuko grew even more bored. He could scarcely hear Toph and his uncle Iroh still talking, while making orders. What could they possibly be talking about so much he wondered? He wanted something to do, so he listened in on the conversation between his uncle Iroh and Toph secretly. He remembered Toph could feel if he moved closer to the door, so he only leaned back in his chair just enough to hear the conversation. There was a pause of laughter, and then more chatter.

"You know, I've never been one for scamming people out of money, but you make it sound almost like a sport." Iroh responded to Toph's story.

"Yeah, it was pretty fun, until Sugar-queen had to come in and ruin the fun." Toph mentioned. "I guess in retrospect, it was the right thing to do, but then she wanted to do another scam with me anyways. But then we got caught, and we were trapped together in a prison, until Sugar-queen managed to water-bend us out of the cell with her sweat."

"She really looks out for you guys, you know? I wouldn't take her for granted as a friend, or in your case, a second mother." Iroh chuckled. Zuko remembered Katara telling Zuko the story about when she and Toph were caught in the cell, back when they were still traveling together, when they were at the Southern Air Temple. It seemed a lot stupider back then, but now he was able to laugh at the story, just like his uncle did.

"So, I forgot to ask. Did he notice you last night?" Iroh asked Toph. Zuko heard, and quickly became more interested in their conversation.

"Well, not really." Toph said with a slightly sullen tone to her voice. "I mean, he talked to me a little before we left, saying how I looked 'so much older' and that it was great to see me again, but other than that, he was pretty much the same." She commented. "But, I did have a dream about him last night, or at least I think it was about him…I couldn't see whose face it was in the dream for some reason." Zuko remembered his own dream, and how Toph was in it

Iroh thought knowingly about the matter. "You know, if you want him to notice you more, maybe you should try a different approach." Iroh suggested

"Like what?" Toph inquired.

"Well, for example. When I was younger, I used to go to a Pai Sho School, so I could learn how to master the arts of the game. That was where I met my wife; she was fairly shy. Although I would say it was simply infatuation back then, I still wished to get to know her better. Unfortunately at the time, I was as shy as she was. But that didn't stop me. So every day, when we had to pick an opponent, I would ask her if she wanted to play against me. She never refused, but I could sense that she was somehow uneasy. So after every game, I would try to have a conversation with her. It was always different, but after a few weeks, she eventually loosened up, and came to call me a friend, and we eventually left the school after learning all about Pai Sho that we wanted to know."

"But how did you two end up married?" Toph asked.

"Well, as she and I spent more time together, we eventually just started to act more romantic towards each other, until it eventually grew into love. Small steps at first of course, a kiss on the cheek here, a flower there, but one day, I just kissed her passionately on the lips. Almost immediately after, I kicked myself on the inside, but then she kissed me back. And eventually we were married, and lived our lives in peace." Zuko, still listening in, was amazed at his uncle's story. He had never told him about his wife, or his son; probably because he lost them both to the war he figured.

"You make it sound like love is so easy." Toph said jokingly.

"You'd be surprised to learn that it is." Iroh replied. Toph had a confused look on her face after he said that, and was about to ask how that was possible. "Love is easy to come across, but only when it is meant to be. Infatuation and false love are easy to come by too, but in the beginning, they seem just like true love. It's up to you to decide whether it is really true love, or just something else." He finished. Toph smiled as he finished.

"You know, you're really smart Iroh." She complimented him.

He laughed, and said, "When you've been through as much of life as I have, knowledge is more of an accessory than a triviality. You will understand what I mean about all this when you live through it with your own eyes."

"I guess I can see why Zuko thinks of you as a father." Toph complimented him again.

Rather than saying anything else, He simply smiled, and heated more water to make more tea for later. Iroh looked at the clock in the other room through the order window, and saw that it was already noon. "Goodness, already so late in the day? Well, it's already twelve o'clock, you and Zuko should be leaving now, right?"

"Yeah, we have to be at the theatre with the others in an hour." Toph stated.

Iroh nodded, and replied, "Have fun. And remember what I said." He added. Got up to leave, and waved goodbye. She walked out the door, which Zuko was still leaning back towards slightly, which startled Zuko, and caused him to fall back onto his back.

She bent down to help him up, and said, "Come on Sparky, work time's over." She said with an elated tone. She and Zuko walked out of the shop together, and headed down towards the theatre. Zuko was still thinking about the conversation between his uncle and Toph that had just taken place. Who exactly was his uncle referring to when he said, "Did he notice you last night?" There were only three guys in their group, so he must have meant that Toph had a thing for one of them. Was it Aang, or Sokka, or…no, it couldn't have been him. It had to be one of those two. How could she want to be with him, Zuko: timid, impulsive, hot-headed, and scarred as he was. He disregarded the thought, and kept walking.

"What's eating you?" Toph asked Zuko innocently.

"It's…nothing." He replied, thinking what it would be like if she really did like him. How could it work out anyways? She was only fifteen, and he was already nineteen, and had an entire nation to deal with. He didn't have time for love like he used to. But it didn't matter; he knew she didn't like him, she couldn't. So he disregarded his thoughts again, as he and Toph continued walking to the theatre together.


	6. Chapter 6

(This is a long one folks: over 2,500 words. Although it's not fluff for Zuko and Toph, it IS the key basis of the whole story, and will probably, if not definately, be referred to later on through out the story, as well as contribute to Zuko and Toph's own fluff...and no...this will not be exactly what will happen between the two later in the story...I'm not that corny a writer, I think. Anyways, I don't own A:TLA, so don't sue me, I'm broke as it is. Unless you like DVD's...I got a lot 'o them...but no touching my Avatar Box set)

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Chapter 6:

"Moonlight Sonata?" Sokka asked incredulously, looking at the poster on the theatre wall. The title of the play showing was called 'Moonlight Sonata'. The poster depicted a man dressed in royal Fire Nation robes, and a woman dressed in Earth Kingdom fashion. They were embracing each other in a garden, with rays of moonlight shining down on the two of them. "Sounds like a fluffy romance story." He said in a stogy tone.

"That's because it IS a romance story, and we're seeing it anyways. Besides, it looks sweet." Katara finished, sighing happily at the poster.

"Come on Sokka, it can't be all bad." Aang said, supporting Katara's whim. "After all, it'll give you and Suki something to relate to." He said happily.

"Yeah, you need to see something a little more feminine in your life besides me. Besides, we might be able to do a little something else after the play if you behave." Suki said, hinting to Sokka.

Suki saying he should go see it was enough motivation for him, and he quickly got into line, enthusiastically saying, "So, who wants to see the fluffy romance play?"

"Well, not much for me to say then is there?" Toph commented impartially.

"Come on, it might be better than we think it'll be." Zuko assured Toph, trying to fake optimism, which was obviously Katara's position, and not his. Despite everybody's opinions, they all bought tickets, and entered the theatre. As soon as they entered the theatre, seating arrangement became an ordeal; Suki wanted to sit next to Sokka, and so did Toph, who eventually ended up sitting between Suki and Zuko, Zuko was next to Katara and Aang, while Aang still wanted to sit next to Sokka as well. They eventually just sat down where they stood, because the play was starting.

The curtains opened, and an old man walked out onto the stage, which was set up to look like Ba Sing Se itself. Despite the lack of space, it was actually a pretty good representation. The old man was dressed in ragged clothes that looked like they had been ripped apart by a wildebeest. He was followed by a beautiful young girl, who wore clothes similar to the ones that the old man wore, but nowhere nearly as unkempt.

"Oh grandfather," the woman cried. "Where ever will we go, now that the Fire Nation has invaded Omashu? I fear that even behind the walls of Ba Sing Se, we too may become a part of all the other prisoners they hold captive."

"I told you already, we're going to become refugees, and live life here." The old man said frustrated. "And I already told you, I'm not your grandfather, I'm just an old man you met!" he exclaimed. The audience, including the gaang, got quite a chuckle out of the joke.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm just so used to referring to all elderly people as grandfather and grandmother. What did you say your name was again?" she asked.

"It's Kin, and don't you forget it young lady." the man playing Kin made an aside, saying, "Why of all women was I stuck with one so emotional?" The audience laughed again, and the play progressed.

"Halt, you two are now prisoners of the Fire Nation!" a man dressed in Fire Nation armor commanded.

"Oh no, I told you we would be goners sooner or later!" the beautiful woman proclaimed.

"It's about time somebody put you behind bars woman, you're crazy." The old man joked. By now, Sokka was in stitches. All the jokes the old man was making were almost as corny as the ones Sokka made, so it was no surprise he was laughing the hardest. The scene changed from the city of Ba Sing Se, to a Fire Nation prison. A prison warden, and the captain who had arrested the two, met, and exchanged looks.

"And just who are these prisoners, Captain?" a man dressed as a prison warden interrogated. The play had moved from Ba Sing Se to a Fire Nation prison, and the beautiful woman and the old man were both on their knees in chains.

"Sir, they are prisoners from the Earth Kingdom, the old man claims to be a master earth-bender." The captain reported.

"Well, 'master earth-bender; let's see you bend something to prove it." The captain unshackled the old man, and he sat there. The prison warden held up a rock, and commanded, "Now then, let's see you move the earth, with only bending." They sat there, motionless for about fifteen seconds. "Well, I see no moving earth." The prison warden said.

"That's not entirely true, sir. The earth has moved, about two or three miles to the right. But because of gravity and pressure, we cannot feel it." Again, the audience laughed, and Sokka laughed loudly again, who was quieted down a little by Suki.

The general's face contorted into a grimace, and he yelled, "Take the old fool away, but leave the woman."

The captain re-shackled the old man, and the old man said, "Whew, glad I got rid of her." More laughter ensued.

"So, what should I do with you, miss?" the prison warden thought aloud, looking the girl straight in the face.

"Oh please sir, I only wished to remain unharmed. Spare me life behind bars, and I promise I will serve you in any way you wish of me." The woman pleaded, over dramatically.

"Well, I have no use of you, but I do hear the Fire Lord wishes to have a new mistress. Maybe if you're lucky, he might consider you." He finished. The lights faded again, and the curtains closed for a few seconds, and the scene changed from the prison to the Royal Fire Palace. The man who played the Fire Lord looked at the beautiful woman from his seat, who was being led into the throne room by the prison warden.

"Fire Lord Sir, I hear you need another woman in the palace, and I thought this little lady might be able to help your cause." he said. The Fire Lord stood up, and walked over to the woman. He stood there for a few minutes, looking her over thoroughly, and judging her to be worthy to serve him or not.

"Yes, she will do fine." He said, and waved the man away, who unshackled the woman, and left. "What is your name miss?" the Fire Lord asked.

"I am Mistress Tsu Chin, but you may refer to me as just Tsu." Tsu said dryly.

"Very well, Tsu. Because of your compelling beauty, I will give you the chance to please me, and if you do, you might even live in peace with your family again. However, know that if you take a step out of line, I will have you sent back to the prisons. Are we clear?" he finished.

"Gee, you're not very compassionate, are you Mr. Fire Lord?" Tsu said in a scolding manner.

"How dare you? Accuse me of being harsh?" he said, taken aback.

"Yes!" Tsu said, obviously offended. "And a please would be nice too. If you don't mind, I'll just be outside, attempting to enjoy life. Maybe you should too, instead of just giving orders all day." She stormed off the set, and left the Fire Lord to give a soliloquy. The light in the room faded, and the spotlight focused on the Fire Lord.

"Tsu Chin...such a different girl…not like the other maids who were sent to me, not at all. She does not fear me, but instead is trying…to change me? But what is there to change I ask myself? Am I not handsome, charming, and of royalty? Maybe she has something to show me after all." He finished, and the scene faded, as the curtains closed again for another transition.

The play went on for a while, depicting scenes where the Fire Lord and Tsu Chin eventually came to even terms, and began spending more and more time together, until they became more as friends than forced lovers. They grew to trust each other, not just as subject and ruler, but as real people, and in even more time, lovers. During all the scenes where there was romance between the two, Suki and Katara cried together, Aang simply smiled, Sokka shrugged his shoulders, Zuko sighed and turned away now and then, and Toph simply sat and listened, not saying much the whole time other than the occasional comment or two. Despite her inability to see, she was the one who was into the play the most.

Eventually, the play finally reached its climax, where the Fire Lord finally admitted to Tsu Chin that he had actually fallen in love with her. The two lovers were in a moonlit garden, with more-than-romantic music playing in the background.

"Fire Lord Sir, why is it you summoned me to this garden in the middle of the night? Are you not tired?" Tsu asked the Fire Lord.

"Forgive me, for I cannot sleep, for I have more on my mind than simple unconsciousness." He responded playfully. Tsu got up from the bench the couple was sitting on, and walked to the edge of the pond in the garden, crouching down. She looked into the water, and saw the reflection of the full moon hanging in the evening sky above them, ablaze in captivating white light. "Does something trouble you, mistress Tsu?" the Fire Lord asked, concerned.

Tsu shook her head, and continued to look into the water. "It is said that the moon and sun are not different places or things at all, but that together, they form a single companionship; a way of life, supported by one another. Without the moon's indomitable will and radiance, the sun would only serve half a purpose, and have no way to show its true ways to the earth half of its life." Tsu surmised, still gazing in the reflection of the water.

The Fire Lord got up from the bench, and stood next to Tsu. "And without the sun, the moon would not have its rays of radiance and beauty, and there would cease to be a captivating reprieve of light after the sun sets in the night." He added.

"Fire Lord Sir…you are my Sun." she said, standing up, and kissed the Fire Lord passionately.

"Oh Tsu, you're not like any other girl I've met. You're bold, fearless, and your beauty is beyond compare. You are my Moon!" he declared.

"Oh, but Fire Lord Sir, how will this love ever work? I am but a citizen of the Earth Kingdom, and you promised me that I may see my family again. And the Earth Kingdom has almost been completely taken over by the Fire Nation. Oh, the monotony!" Tsu Chin exaggerated.

The Fire Lord sat there for a bit, hesitating as he looked for the right words to say, and finally said, "Don't worry my dear Tsu Chin, I will find a way for our love to work. For true love knows no bounds, only obstacles to overcome." He said with boldness in his voice.

The scene transitioned one more time, and a small office took place of the moonlit garden that had been there before. The Earth King and Water Tribe Leader were there as well, along with Tsu Chin and Kin the old man. The Fire Lord drew out a scroll from his robes, and opened it, laying it on the table that was in the room.

"With this ordinance, I hereby sign this non-aggression pact, ending the war between the nations peacefully, endorsing all that have lost anything in this tragedy, and freeing any captive prisoners from any nation within the Fire Nation. I only hope that we may learn now, to prevent future instances like this happening. We are men; we will fight, squabble, and find any sort of disagreement in our lives to fight over. But, we will also make peace. Let the peace that I wish to instill now, last ten times longer than the war I have started, and continue after that." He finished signing the paper. The Earth King walked over and signed the document, and then the Water Tribe Leader signed as well. Tsu rushed over, and embraced the Fire Lord.

"Oh Fire Lord Sir, now we can live happily ever after." She said passionately to him, and they kissed one last time, more lovingly and meaningful than they had ever before.

"Whew, glad SOMEBODY had a happy ending; my back is killing me from sitting in jail for so long." Kin joked. The curtains dropped down, and the lights faded out. Applause and cheering rang through the room as the play ended. The gaang was cheering along with the rest of the people in the room, with the exception of Aang, who had left to go to the bathroom. The curtains rose again, with all the people who were in the play on stage, bowing together to the audience, even the old man, who was dressed in much nicer clothes than the ones he wore for his role.

"Thank you, thank you, all of you." The old man announced to the crowd, still cheering the performance. "I hope you all thoroughly enjoyed the performance. The reason we produced this play is in remembrance of the war, and to all of those who were affected by it. Of course it didn't actually end that way, but nonetheless, I hope you all got the hidden meaning. Also, we failed to mention the name of the Fire Lord for obvious reasons as you can imagine. Any ways, have a good day one and all, come back to our next performance." The old man finished. The crowd began cheering again, and the rest of the cast in the play took one last bow, and the curtains closed again.


End file.
